Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has his Department made of the effectiveness of the Crisis and Resilience Fund in reducing food poverty.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund launched in April 2026. No assessment of its effectiveness in reducing food poverty or dependency on emergency food has yet been made.

The Department will assess the Fund through management information collected from local authorities and an independent national evaluation. This will examine the Fund's delivery, impact and value for money, including its contribution to reducing reliance on emergency food support.

The Department also publishes annual statistics on food insecurity and food bank use, which provide a wider measure of progress against the Government’s commitment to tackle poverty and reduce dependence on emergency food support. These are available here.